Description

4.
SV South African Administrator General for Namibia Judge Marthinus Steyn seated with other delegates
0.34

5.
SV United Nations Special Envoy to Namibia Martti Ahtisaari seated with other delegates
0.40

6.
CU ZOOM OUT TO Steyn seated making statement
0.48

7.
SCU Ahtisaari speaking
1.02

8.
SV & CU Steyn being interviewed (2 shots)
2.11

STEYN: "The deliberations will be conducted in an open spirit of co-operation...."

AHTISAARI: "These consultations that we are starting today are going to be carried out in the spirit of co-operation..."

STEYN: "I regard them as being vital talks. I regard them even as being fruitful talks, because of the very great importance of their content. It is in that spirit that I approach them, a spirit of open co-operation."

REPORTER: "What are your views on the question of a ceasefire, when and how must this come about?"

STEYN: "I think first of all I must distinguish between the announcing of a ceasefire and the establishment of visible peace. I take it that a ceasefire would be announced...most probably by the Secretary General himself and thereafter a period will elapse in which monitoring can take place, both by South Africa and the UN monitoring section, to establish whether the ceasefire has become a visible, ascertainable fact, in other words whether in fact there had be a cessation of the hostile acts."

Initials BB/

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: United Nations Special Envoy for Namibia, Martti Ahtisaari, has had talks with South Africa's Administrator General of Namibia (South West Africa), Judge Marthinus Steyn. The two parties discussed detailed implementation of U.N. proposals for Namibia's independence at Swakopmund in Namibia on Tuesday (16 January).

SYNOPSIS: Both parties met for detailed talks on a second United Nations supervised election, called for when the UN refused to recognise the constituent assembly, elected in a vote called unilaterally by South Africa last month. That election was boycotted by a number of parties in the territory, including the South West Africa Peoples Organisation, SWAPO. Demonstrators in Swakopmund protested against Mr. Ahtisaari's visit.

Judge Steyn and Mr. Ahtisaari discussed operational acquirements for a United Nations force to supervise transition to independence, and later spoke about their talks to newsmen.